Israel’s Central Election Commission approved the election results after auditing 9,069 polling stations and finding no evidence of fraud that could undermine their integrity. (Foto: Instagram)
Israel’s Central Election Commission said it found no evidence of fraud that could call the integrity of the election results into question after auditing 9,069 polling stations. The commission announced its validation of the results on Wednesday, Nov. 4, amid challenges from far-right figures and a continuing contest over who will form the next government.
The final figures were approved by 15 votes to two, with 14 commission members abstaining. Despite the decision, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said his party, Likud, did not recognize the results and called for the arrest of leaders of Arab-Israeli parties. The commission’s approval settled its review of the vote, but did not end the political dispute over the results.
Ben-Gvir, who has made extremist statements about Palestinians, has questioned the participation of Arab parties in the election. Those parties won a record presence in parliament and could play a decisive role in negotiations over a new governing coalition. The disagreement comes amid deep political divisions, with no bloc securing enough support to govern alone in the 120-seat parliament.
Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot, a former chief of the Israel Defense Forces General Staff, accused Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu of trying to weaken democratic institutions and encourage hostility toward elected representatives. Speaking at an event commemorating former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who was assassinated in 1995, Eisenkot said he would not allow Israel to be led into a breakdown of democracy. He also warned Netanyahu against starting another war with Iran in partnership with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Netanyahu has held the office of prime minister for longer than anyone else in Israel, serving in several periods over nearly two decades. With no clear parliamentary majority, President Isaac Herzog began consultations with party representatives on Wednesday to discuss forming the next government. Herzog’s first round of meetings is expected to last two days.
After the initial consultations, Herzog is expected to give one of the lawmakers he designates 28 days to form a coalition, with a possible extension of 14 more days. Netanyahu and Eisenkot are the leading contenders for the opportunity, although Herzog could select another lawmaker. The expectation is that the first attempt to assemble a government will go to one of the two political rivals.
In a public statement, Herzog urged the parties to negotiate and accept that concessions would be necessary to avoid another political deadlock. He also called on party leaders to work to prevent another election from being called. The consultations and coalition-building period will determine whether lawmakers can assemble a government despite the absence of a bloc with a parliamentary majority.
